Nature – The Ultimate Playground for Kids
Every year parents spend hundreds if not thousands of dollars on toys and activities for their kids. While many of things are great for keeping young minds and bodies active, many of them are unnecessary. Sure kids need structured play, but they also need “free” plan and this is easy to do when the world’s largest playground is right outside your back door. Why not let them play outside?
Every toy, book, and TV show that comes out has been designed and redesigned several times in order to make it educational and entertaining for children. The great thing about nature is that, while being entertaining and stimulating to the imagination, it’s also educational. Nature can teach children the basics of science, economics, and creativity.
It’s cheap. Depending on where you live, exploring nature is usually pretty inexpensive, if not free. It may mean going out in your backyard, local park, or perhaps going to the local nature centre or state park (which usually have low cost fees or memberships). This way, you don’t have to pay for expensive toys, jungle gyms, or memberships to expensive entertainment centres, but you still get the benefit of stimulating and educational play.
It makes them think. Lately there’s been a trend in education towards inquiry based learning. Researchers have found that if students explore and experiment to figure out answers on their own, they’re going to learn better, and retain more information. It also helps them develop skills to be able to learn things on their own later. What better environment to learn things than out in nature. There are lessons for kids of all ages to discover about the world around them.
It may help the world. Everyone these days is trying to be more green and more environmentally conscious. What better way to help do your part than to get your children interested in their own planet than right now when they’re young and impressionable? What might be a fun time for them now, might be a future hobby, career, or world saving invention.
It’s fun.
While it’s easy to forget, childhood isn’t just for learning about how to be an adult, it’s also about having fun. Nature gives kids a chance to use their imagination and be free to just be kids.
While unstructured play outside is great for kids, you can also find a lot of places offering structured classes and learning sessions for kids that focus on the natural world. Check your local park, zoo, or museum. There’s a good chance they have classes you can sign up for, and since many of these places are not for profit, they’re usually affordable as well as informative.
Across the world, there are millions of dollars being spent to help promote sending your kids outside to learn from nature. That’s because spending time in the outside world is so important for developing minds. It can also be a great escape for you as well.
Exposure Of Infants To Open Air
The respiration of pure air is at all times, and under all circumstances, indispensable to the health of the infant. The nursery therefore should be large, well ventilated, in an elevated part of the house, and so situated as to admit a free supply both of air and light.
For the same reasons, the room in which the infant sleeps should be large, and the air frequently renewed; for nothing is so prejudicial to its health as sleeping in an impure and heated atmosphere.
The practice, therefore, of drawing thick curtains closely round the bed is highly pernicious; they only answer a useful purpose when they defend the infant from any draught of cold air.
The proper time for taking the infant into the open air must, of course, be determined by the season of the year, and the state of the weather.
“A delicate infant born late in the autumn will not generally derive advantage from being carried into the open air, in this climate, till the succeeding spring; and if the rooms in which he is kept are large, often changed, and well ventilated, he will not suffer from the confinement, while he will, most probably, escape catarrhal affections, which are so often the consequence of the injudicious exposure of infants to a cold and humid atmosphere.”
If, however, the child is strong and healthy, no opportunity should be lost to taking him into the open air at stated periods, experience daily proving that it has the most invigorating and vivifying influence upon the system.
Regard, however, must always be had to the state of the weather; and to a damp condition of the atmosphere the infant should never be exposed, as it is one of the most powerful exciting causes of consumptive disease.
The nanny, too, should not be allowed to loiter and linger about, thus exposing the infant unnecessarily, and for an undue length of time: this is generally the source of all the evils which accrue from taking the baby into the open air.
What are some ways to have fun with my young child?
Infants and toddlers love to spend time with their parents. And they’re happy doing just about anything!
However, parents often find themselves wondering what activities they can do with their young child.
One fun idea is to make some popcorn, pull out some fuzzy blankets and enjoy a movie or book together cuddled on the sofa. Do a craft together such as a simple colouring or painting project or create stickers and make some interesting gifts.
Dancing is always a hit with kids and a great way to burn off some energy while you get lots of laughs.
You can also play simple games like eye spy. The beauty of these games is that they can be adapted for younger children and they can be played anywhere.
I spy with my little eyes, something beginning with ” G _ _ _ _”
…sounds like…!
Turtle
Jack In The Box
Three Little Chicks Worth a Smile
